Greg B’s Reviews > Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media > Status Update

Batten down the hatches b/c I'm about to compare Chomsky to Anita Saarkesian: both of them are bludgeoners. I've noticed this. Reading a chapter of this is like watching FemFreq; it starts with "here's my premise" and pummels you with piece after piece of evidence, far past the point where you'd go "okay you have a point," well into the territory of smothering you with existential fear and dread. True but exhausting.

Chomsky's digression on "acceptable" vs "unacceptable" methods of dissent immediately makes me think of the difference between the treatment of Tea Party protesters (allowed to carry assault rifles in public w/o harassment) and OWS (tazed and maced for non-violent sit-ins). I get the impression most of this book is going to be even more relevant post-2008.